The present invention relates to a cartridge insert for insertion in a fluid line, having in its cartridge housing at least one backflow inhibitor and, downstream, at least one flow regulator. The backflow inhibitor has a closing element that in its closed position lies tightly on a valve seat of the cartridge housing and can be moved from this closed position against a return force into an open position. A guide pin, situated downstream, protrudes from the closing element and is guided in the guide opening of a central regulator core of the flow regulator. The flow regulator has a regulator element, made of elastic material, that surrounds the regulator core and that lies on an annular shoulder or on a similar regulator element support element, and that limits, between itself and an enclosing wall situated opposite, a control gap that changes in a manner dependent on pressure.
Cartridge inserts of this sort are used for example in sanitary water lines in order to prevent an undesired backflow in particular of service water or water for industrial use, and in order at the same time to enable an evening out of the flow quantity per time unit, even when there are pressure fluctuations in the network of water lines.
Thus, for example, a cartridge insert of the type named above is known that has a two-part cartridge housing. While the backflow inhibitor is provided in the upstream housing part, the downstream housing part, which can be locked therewith in detachable fashion, comprises the flow regulator. The flow regulator has a three-part construction, and has a central regulator core that surrounds a regulator element made of elastic material. This regulator element, which limits between itself and the enclosing wall of the regulator core a control gap that changes in a manner dependent on pressure, lies on an annular shoulder that protrudes radially inwardly on the downstream end edge area of the cartridge housing.
In this known cartridge insert, the guide pin, which protrudes from the downstream side of the closing element, is guided in a guide opening of the central regulator core. Because the regulator core acts on the one hand as a guide means for the closing element, but on the other hand also limits the control gap of the flow regulator, having regulator profilings oriented in the longitudinal direction for this purpose, the regulator core is to be fashioned thick and long enough that it protrudes outwardly significantly past the downstream end opening of the cartridge insert.
Because the comparatively thick regulator core in this known cartridge insert protrudes past the end opening thereof, it is not always possible to accommodate the cartridge insert in the connection fitting of a water line without problems.